- 110-
CHAPTER 16 : David anointed King over all Israel - Taking of Fort Zion
-Philistine Defeat - The Ark brought to Jerusalem - Liturgical
arrangements and Institutions. (2 SAMUEL 5, 6; 1 CHRONICLES 11-16)
THE cessation of the long-pending rivalry and the prospect of a strong monarchy
under David must have afforded sincere relief and satisfaction to all the well-
disposed in Israel. Even during the time when his fortunes were at the lowest, David
had had constant accessions of valiant and true men from all tribes, not excluding
Saul's tribe of Benjamin and the country east of the Jordan. Yet it implied no
ordinary courage to face the dangers and difficulties of the life of an outlaw; no
common determination to leave home and country in such a cause. The Book of
Chronicles furnishes in this as in other instances most welcome notices supplemental
to the other historical writings of the Old Testament.^256
Thus it gives us (1 Chronicles 12:1-22) the names of the leading men who joined
David at different periods, with their tribal connection, and even helps us to guess
what motives may have actuated at least some of their number. From these notices
we learn that considerable accessions had taken place on four different occasions.
When David was at Ziklag (vers. 1-7), he was joined by certain tribes-men
("brothers") of Saul (vers. 1-8), and by some men from Judah (vers. 4, 6, 7). While
in the mountain-fastnesses, in the wilderness of Judah (1 Samuel 22-24), certain of
the Gadites separated themselves unto him, "men of the army for war" - soldiers
trained for war (ver. 8), "chief of the host" (not "captains of the host," ver. 14), "one
to a hundred the least, and the greatest one to a thousand," who when breaking away
from the army of Saul had not only crossed Jordan in the dangerous floodtime of
early spring, but cut their way through those who would have barred it (ver. 15). A
third contingent from Benjamin and Judah came during the same period (vers. 16-
18). Their names are not mentioned; but they were headed by Amasai, probably
another nephew of David - the son of Abigail, David's younger sister (1 Chronicles
2:16, 17). When challenged by David as to their intentions, Amasai had, under the
influence of the Spirit, broken forth in language which showed the character of their
motives (ver. 18). The last and perhaps most important contingent joined David on
his road back to Ziklag, when dismissed from the armies of the Philistines. It
consisted of seven chieftains of thousands of Manasseh, who gave David most
valuable aid against the Amalekites.
If such had been David's position and influence in Israel even during Saul's lifetime,
we can readily understand the rush of enthusiasm at his accession to the throne of a
people once more united, now that there was no longer any rival claimant left. As
they afterwards told David at Hebron, they all felt that he was their own, - just as
(^)